Following changes announced in 2019 by the Nurse and Midwifery Council (NMC); qualified nurses are now able to study Non-Medical Prescribing (NMP) following 12 months of registered practice. The University of Nottingham has therefore introduced the undergraduate course 'Preparing to Prescribe' to equip graduates with the necessary skills to undertake this qualification in the future.
Due to complications presented by the COVID-19 pandemic; this course was moved 4 months earlier and was delivered entirely online using innovative electronic resources, Microsoft Team seminars, digital case studies and prescribing simulators.
The main aim of this initiative was to empower nurses to challenge substandard prescribing and promote patient safety. A subservient relationship can sometimes exist between nurses and doctors; where the nurse is simply expected to administer a drug safely; rather than challenge its appropriateness for example. Whilst many nurses do challenge prescribing; the confidence to have these conversations often requires many years of nursing experience.
A key aim was therefore to improve the resourcefulness of newly qualified nurses in an effort to address this imbalance. Showing students how to select, explore and utilise clinical resources can only improve the confidence and competence of graduates. These resources include national guidelines, the BNF, the EMC, Martindale, the local formulary etc.
This was achieved digitally through the use of screencasts, audience response technology (MentiMeter); discussion boards (Padlet); prescribing simulators (e-learning for health), Microsoft Teams and PowerPoint. The innovations used within the course were showcased at the Faculty E-Learning Special Interest Group at the University of Nottingham.
